Eave trough protector



May 26, 1942.

J. V. MORRISSEY EAVE THOUGH PROTECTOR [6 FIG Filed Aug. {1, 1940 I l E- 5- FIG. 4..

Patented May 26, 1942 EAV'E THOUGH PROTECTOR Joseph V. Morrissey, iWaukegan, Ill., assignonto The American Steel. and WireCompanyof New Jersey, a corporation of New Jersey Application August 4,1940, Serial No. 351,301

Claims. (Cl. 108.-30)' This invention relates to improvements in eave .trough'protectors.=

It isan object of this invention to provide an eave trough protector which maybe readily ap--- plied :to standard forms of eavetrough.

my invention contemplates a light weight screen-type'of protect'orformed in and capable of being applied inone continuous piece throughout the length of the eaves trough, thereby eliminating overlaps, seams and splicing heretofore employed with screen-type protectors.

I further have in view to provide a' protector of :the character stated having integral edge reenforcements; thereby eliminating binding, or added strengthening as has been heretofore -employedya'nd providing for ease-of attachment of the protector. 7

Another object-is to provide and maintain'flexibility of-theprotecto'r, whereby the same may be rolled-for shipping andmore' easily. applied 'to the eave trough.

Additional objects and" advantages will. become apparent from' the following. description taken in connection with; the. accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview, partly in section, showing an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing another manner of applying the protector to another form of eave trough; and

Figs. '4, 5 and 6 are fragmentary plan views of different forms of the protector.

Referring to the drawing, 2 designates a portion of the side or frame of a house or building having a sloping roof 3 composed of shingles or the like, said roof overhanging the Wall 2 and forming an eave therewith.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, an eave trough 4 of conventional form is positioned immediately below the eave, said trough including an inner wall 5 disposed against the building wall or frame 2, a bottom 6 and an outer sloping wall 1 terminating in an inwardly projecting flange 9, said flange extending longitudinally of the trough.

Hangers or supports ll of any suitable type may be employed for securing the trough 4 in position. For example, said hangers l I include spacing sleeves [2 extending transversely throughout the uppermost portion of the eave trough and receiving nails or spikes 13 extending from the outer edge portion of the trough through said sleeve, through the wall 5 of the trough and-into the side or framel .-:of' thefbuildt-fl ing.

For covering andprotecting"the upper open."

portion of the eave trough 4, I provide a protector:- l5 comprisinga .continuous-one-piece screen or wiremesh extending longitudinally along the-' trough. Said'protector is of'uniform mesh and" thickness, having integrally reenforced or vselvagei longitudinal edges lB whose thickness'doesn'ot" exceedthe thickness of the screen;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6- illustrate severalforms of my protector l4, each 'includin'gjazplurality of integrally ,woven'zflatiwireslorestrips ii. For example; Fig: l-rsh'ows' a seriesrof the flat wires IT at the edges of theprotector; Fig; 5, flat strips H alternating? with: the 1 wires:- of the 'mesh or screen; and Fig.1 6; a .flat wire'at-Ltheimm'ediate edge, and a pluralitybtflat wires-inwardlyrof. an intervening. wire of the ;-mesh' or :screen. Other similar designs and arrangements of the flat wires may-likewisebeemployed forzforming the selvageedges iii; the thickness of thesflat wires I! being :preferably substantially ,thatof. the wire of the mesh'so as .toproyide azthirr structure re-- enforced for-strengtl'i.

In applyingsthe protector |4,?0I16"10I1it11dii12t1 selvage edge It is slid or entered beneath the shingles of the roof 3 between said shingles and the wall or structure 2, whereupon the protector may. be inclined downwardly into supporting engagement by its other edge IS with the supports or hangers ll. Due to the fact that the selvage edge I6 is of minimum thickness, the same may be easily entered beneath the shingles of the roof 3 without materially afiecting said shingles or loosening the same.

When the protector I4 is applied as stated, the lower outer edge l6 thereof is disposed below the trough flange 9, whereby the protector is confined against acdidental disengagement, in the event that it becomes loosened at its point of engagement with the shingle. I

As desired, the slope of the protector l4 substantially coincides with that of the roof 3, whereby the appearance of the assembly is enhanced. However, where necessary, theflexibility of the protector permits transverse bending or bowing of the same to accommodate a protector to narrower'widths of eave trough.

Considerable advantage is attained by the use of my invention due to the fact that the protector [4 may be made in one continuous piece, whereby the same may be rolled for shipping and for ease of application .to an eave trough.

practical as compared with former types of screen or mesh protectors.

Fig. 3 illustrates the applicationof the protector I4 to a difierent style of eave trough having hangers ll disposed over the top of the: trough. In such case, the lower outer edge I 6 of the protector rests upon said hangers and is 1. The combination with an eave trough of, trough supports therefor, and a protector of flex-v ible wire screen-having at least two substantialtrough supports therefor, and a protector extending continuously in one piece longitudinally of the trough, said protector comprising a flexible wire screen having its longitudinal edges reach provided with at least two substantially flat longitudinal wires forming reenforced selvage edges of appreciable width and not exceeding the thickness of the screen, the inner edge of said protector being entered beneath and held by thepshingles of the roof, the outer longitudinal edge thereof engaging the trough supports in the plane of inclination of the protector ly fiat longitudinal wires forming a reenforced 1 selvage edge of.appreciable width and not exceeding the thickness of the screen, said protector extendingv continuously in one piece longitudinally of the trough, and having'its selvage edge entered beneath and held by the shingles of the roof, the other longitudinal edge of the protector being supported adjacent the outer free edge of'the trough in the planeof inclination of the protector downwardly from the roof.

2. The combination with an eave trough, of

trough-supports therefor, and'a protector extending continuously in one piece longitudinally of the trough, saidprotector' comprising a flexible wire screen having its longitudinal edges each provided with at least two substantially flat longitudinal Wires forming reenforced selvage edges of appreciable width and not exceedingthe thickness of the screen, the innervedge of said protector being entered beneath and held by the shingles of the roof, and the outer longitudinal edge thereof being supported adjacent the outer free edge of the trough inthe plane of inclina tion of the protector downwardly from the roof.

an eave trough by transverse downward inclina- 3. The combination with an eave trough, of

downwardly from the roof, and fasteners securing said outer protector edge to the supports.

4. An eave trough protector comprising a continuous strip of flexible wire screen having at least two substantially flat longitudinal wires forming a reenforced selvage edge not exceeding the thickness of the screen for ease of insertion thereof'beneath the shingles of a roof, said selvage edge portion being of a width to provide a substantial anchorage for the protector upon the a said insertion thereof, the over-all width of the protector being suflicient to span the open face of an eave trough by transverse inclination of the protector downwardly from the said inserted edge thereof for supporting engagement of its other longitudinal edge adjacent the free longitudinal edge of the eave trough.

5. An eave trough protector comprising a continuous strip of flexible wire screen -having op-.

posite flat reenforced selvage edges each including at least two longitudinal flat wires, said edges not exceeding the thickness of the screen where by either of said edges may be easily inserted beneath the shingles of a roof, said selvage edges being of a width to provide a substantial anchorage for the protector upon said insertion of one of said edges, the over-all width of the'protector being sufficient to span the open face of tion of the protector from the said inserted edge thereof for supporting engagement of its other longitudinal edge adjacent the free longitudinal edge of the eave trough.

JOSEPH V. MORRISSEY. 

